2021-10-21
Isaiah 46:10 NLT
One day a businessman called his wife to say that he was bringing a foreign visitor home for dinner. His wife had three children in school and one preschooler at home, so she had a full workload. But she consented, and the meal she prepared was both delicious and graciously served. The foreign guest, an important official in Spain, had a delightful time and thanked the couple repeatedly for inviting him and treating him to a home-cooked meal and an evening of family warmth and fellowship.
Years later, friends of this family went to Spain as missionaries. But their work was brought to a standstill by government regulations. When this particular Spanish official got word that the missionaries were friends of the couple who’d hosted him in such a gracious manner, he used his influence to clear away the restrictions on their behalf. As a result, a vibrant and growing church was built in that province of Spain and people were won to Christ. Why? Because a busy wife and mother was willing to set an extra plate for a guest at her dinner table, and that guest proved to be a “kingdom connection.”
Like a wise businessman, God sets the goal, then determines the plan required to reach it. In His Word He tells us: “I am God…declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure'” (vv. 9-10 NKJV). In other words, God connects the dots.
Soul food: 1 Tim 1-3; John 5:16-30; Ps 5; Prov 24:8-9
Jesaja 46:10 NLV
Een dag het ‘n sakeman sy vrou gebel om te sê dat hy ‘n oorsese besoeker vir aandete uitgenooi het. Sy vrou het drie kinders in die skool en een kleuter by die huis gehad, dus het sy ‘n vol werkslading gehad. Tog het sy ingestem en die maaltyd wat sy voorberei het, het heerlik gesmaak en was elegant voorgesit. Die oorsese gas, ‘n belangrike amptenaar van Spanje, het ‘n wonderlike tyd gehad en die paartjie herhaaldelik bedank dat hulle hom uitgenooi het en hom van ‘n tuisgemaakte ete en ‘n aand van familie-warmte en gemeenskap voorsien het.
Jare later het vriende van hierdie familie Spanje as sendelinge besoek. Hul werk is egter deur regeringsregulasies tot stilstand gedwing. Toe hierdie spesifieke Spaanse amptenaar kennis neem dat die sendelinge vriende is van die paartjie wat hom so gasvry onthaal het, het hy sy invloed gebruik om die regulasies namens hulle uit die weg te ruim. Gevolglik is ‘n lewendige en groeiende kerk in daardie provinsie van Spanje gebou en mense is vir Christus gewen. Hoekom? Omdat ‘n besige vrou en ma gewillig was om ‘n ekstra bord vir ‘n gas aan haar tafel te dek en omdat daardie gas ‘koninkrykskonneksies’ gehad het.
Soos ‘n wyse besigheidsman stel God die doelwit en bepaal dan die plan om dit te bereik. Hy sê vir ons in sy woord: ‘…Ek is God… Ek maak die einde bekend vanaf die begin. Uit die verlede, dit wat nog moet gebeur. Wat Ek besluit, voer Ek uit. Wat Ek wil, doen Ek’ (verse 9-10 NLV). Met ander woorde, God verbind die kolletjies.
Sielskos: 1 Tim 1-3; Joh 5:16-30; Ps 5; Spr 24:8-9
Isaiah 46:10 NLT
Do you remember doing dot-to-dot puzzles when you were little? The page starts with a collection of random-looking dots, but as you work through the puzzle, the picture gradually takes shape and makes sense.
God’s kingdom can sometimes seem like a dot-to-dot puzzle to us. We each have a unique part to play in it, but we can’t always see or understand where we fit in. But as God comes along and joins the dots, more and more of His plan is revealed, and we begin to see the goal He’s working towards, and get a better idea of why He’s doing things the way He is.
The difference is that when we start a dot-to-dot, we can’t make out the picture. But when God starts joining the dots, He goes into it knowing exactly what the finished picture is going to be, and moves us just where He needs us in order to make it happen. He says: ‘Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish’ (v.9-10 NLT).
From our perspective, we might not know why God’s steering us to connect with a certain person or prompting us to go a certain way. But we do need to trust Him, because only He knows all the details of how we fit in to His bigger picture. He sets the goal, then determines the route required to reach it. Each dot that He joins is a kingdom connection. So let’s try to be sensitive to His leading, and take joy in the fact that we have a unique part in His beautiful kingdom picture.
1 Tim 1-3; John 5:16-30; Ps 5; Prov 24:8-9
2021-10-20
Proverbs 23:15 NLT
If you succeed in making a good living but fail to teach your children how to live “right,” your success will be empty, and you’ll end up living with regrets. The average child spends six to seven hours each day on the internet, or watching television, or interacting with their peer group. And every minute of it is creating their value system and molding them into the person they will become. So be there for them! If you have to sacrifice materially in order to develop them spiritually, it’s a trade-off you’ll always feel good about.
Dorothy Lawe Nolte wrote words that every parent should carry with them: “If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn. If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight. If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy. If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty. But, if a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient. If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence. If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate. If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice. If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith. If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself. If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the world.”
Solomon, who was a father, put it this way: “My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice!”
Soul food: Hab 1-3; John 5:1-15; Ps 15; Prov 24:7
Proverbs 23:15 NIV
As we’re growing up, we can often begin to resent our parents’ wisdom. We want to do things our own way. We think we know better than they do. And sometimes we do. But a lot of the time, our parents, or youth leaders, or tutors, do know best. They can speak into our lives from experience. And if we’ve got parents who are praying for wisdom in how to bring us up, we’ll definitely be able to learn a few things from them.
One of the things parents often want for their children is wisdom. They want us to make the right choices in life, they want us to choose good things. When Solomon was writing to his son, he said: ‘If your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad indeed.’ So how can we make sure we have a wise heart?
We can test the wisdom we receive from others by seeing if it matches with God’s Word, and we can ask God directly for His wisdom too. God’s wisdom is far greater and far more extensive than any human wisdom. The Bible says: ‘For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding’ (Proverbs 2:6 NIV).
God’s wisdom is different from human wisdom. We’re told: ‘The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere’ (James 3:17 NIV). And when we have God’s wisdom, we’re different too. We’re more assured in our steps forward, we have peace in our decisions, so let’s ask for His wisdom today.
Hab 1-3; John 5:1-15; Ps 15; Prov 24:7
